Yan Xiu nodded slightly, then mounted his Snow Treading Dragon Stallion and galloped towards the gates of the capital.
Fang Zhengzhi watched as his friend left, then turned around and mounted his own Snow Treading Dragon Stallion. He was headed for the streets.
On this return trip, Fang Zhengzhi should have had an officer follow him around to announce the good news. However, as he was planning to travel, he rejected the offer of an officer.
Fang Zhengzhi decided that he would bring some souvenirs back home. As such, he decided not to leave with Yan Xiu, choosing to do some shopping first...
Inside Ping Yang's residence, flowers were in full bloom, their aroma filling up the gardens. Ping Yang was dressed in a red cloak, visibly unhappy.
"Why does Sister Yan have to go back to the Northern Lands so soon? Why don't I send a request to the Emperor, asking if I can follow you to the Northern Lands?" Ping Yang grabbed on to Chi Guyan's arm.
"Don't you want your Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion?" Chi Guyan smiled. She knew that the Emperor would never let Ping Yang out of the city.
"Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion? Where?" Ping Yang's eyes glimmered.
"It's here!" A voice rang out from outside the courtyard. Then, the Ninth Prince walked through.
He was leading a horse.
The horse was covered from head to toe in black triangular scales. It had a purple colored horn on its forehead, with subtle lightning patterns lining the horn.
It was clearly an extraordinary stallion.
"Hahaha... Ninth Brother, you're finally willing to give me the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion!"
"Give it to you? You must be dreaming. I am just lending it to you for a ride on Chi Guyan's account. When Chi Guyan returns, you have to return the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion to me!" The Ninth Prince looked on reluctantly.
"Ninth Brother, rest assured. I will definitely return it to you!" Ping Yang smirked. Before the Ninth Prince could say anything, she snatched the reins from his hands.
"Haha..." Chi Guyan looked at Ping Yang pamperedly. Her starry eyes looked to the north, "The Heaven Dao Tablet, Cang Ling Mountain... it looks like that shameless thief is on his way back home?"
After more than two hours, Fang Zhengzhi loaded up the Snow Treading Dragon Stallion and trotted it to the gates of the capital.
"I am always a man of my word. I will bring you to see the world right now." Fang Zhengzhi murmured.
All of the guards at the gate looked on conflictingly when they saw Fang Zhengzhi. However, none of them said anything, nor did they try to stop him.
Once he was out of the gates, he headed north...
Just as he was about to gallop and let the Snow Treading Dragon Stallion loose, he saw a figure appear on the road north. This figure was dressed in white, but there was no "Heaven Dao" embroidered on it.
Most importantly, the figure was riding a horse.
A horse which was very familiar to Fang Zhengzhi.
It was snow white from head to toe, with a mark of fire in the middle of its forehead. This was the Scarlet Flame Snow Cloud, a descendant of the most powerful Fire Dragon bloodline.
Fang Zhengzhi had always thought of it as his.
"It's been so long, Young Master Fang!" A crisp voice rang out. The other person did not try to disguise his voice.
"Drop the act! Human...oid!" Fang Zhengzhi looked at the figure derisively. He knew that he was Chi Guyan in a man's disguise. He had confirmed this in the Divine Constabulary previously.
"I am also on my way to the Northern Lands. How about you take care of my meals and I'll pay you 500 silvers?" Chi Guyan surprisingly did not argue with Fang Zhengzhi.
"I will accept nothing less than 1000!" Fang Zhengzhi replied in disdain.
"600!"
"If your offer is any less than 950, don't even think about it!"
"700!"
"I will give in to you a little more. 940, or we will go our separate ways!" Fang Zhengzhi hesitated, then grit his teeth.
"900!"
"880. I like this number. The remaining 20 shall be my tip to you. Don't think too much about it. I am so willful because I have the money." Fang Zhengzhi smirked. With the power of the Snow Treading Dragon Stallion, the journey would take a month at most. Why not earn an extra 880 silvers along the way?
More importantly, how could he tour without a lady companion?
Even though this was not a companion he liked, but she was still acceptable.
"You are still as shameless as before!"
"Thank you for the compliment!"
Fang Zhengzhi and Chi Guyan continued bargaining just outside the city gates, oblivious to the fact that there was a figure in a black cloak standing in the shadows.
"Chi Guyan?" The figure said raspily before disappearing into the darkness.
A month later.
There were troops of armored soldiers walking around in Huai An Country. This gave the entire ancient city a rather solemn atmosphere.
Fang Zhengzhi rode the Snow Treading Dragon Stallion sloppily. Next to him was Chi Guyan, still in her disguise.
Chi Guyan was much more refined than Fang Zhengzhi. As the breeze brushed against her clothes, they flapped lightly in the wind, making her look refined and elegant
Furthermore, her Scarlet Flame Snow Cloud drew the attentions of many young girls in Huai An County. Many of them looked out their windows just to catch a glimpse of it.
Fang Zhengzhi had already stopped thinking much about that.
Along the way to Huai An County, there were countless girls following behind them at every stop. They were all mesmerized by the group of two. Initially, he found it interesting, but he slowly grew numb to it.
"Why aren't you going back to the Divine Constabulary? We are already at Huai An County." Fang Zhengzhi's mouth twitched as he asked Chi Guyan.
"Did I say I was going back to the Divine Constabulary?" Chi Guyan smiled as she returned the look.
Fang Zhengzhi happened to see the smile. He was slightly stunned. He had to admit that Chi Guyan did have the assets that would allow her to be arrogant.
When she smiled, she was just as beautiful as the starry night sky, completely mesmerizing.
However, Fang Zhengzhi was not too attracted by the smile. After all, he liked a gentle lady. At the very least, she could not be more powerful than him?
Even though he was not one to bully a lady, he did not want to be bullied by a lady.
"If you're not going back to the Divine Constabulary, are you planning to come to the Northern Mountain Village with me?" Fang Zhengzhi replied disdainfully. How is it possible that the powerful and rich Chi Guyan would want to follow him back to his decrepit hometown?
"Mm, that was exactly what I had in mind." Chi Guyan nodded.
"You're really going to follow me back to the Northern Mountain Village?" Fang Zhengzhi was taken aback.
"Yes." Chi Guyan nodded.
"I am not to be taken advantage of. On the way from the capital, I have grilled you eight Green Furred Rabbits, 13 Fire Plume Chickens, two Metal-Toothed Thorn Hogs and one Steel Horned Goat. Now you want to come to my house for free food and lodging... you must be dreaming!" Fang Zhengzhi said solemnly.
"Is that so? What if I have silver?"
"Do you think you're the only one with silver? Do you think that silver can buy anything under the sun? This is not about the money, this is about a bottomline, do you understand?"
"I'll give you 1000 silvers for a one month stay."
"Deal!"
"I remember that you like the number 880?"
"Yes I do, but there is a difference of 120 between 1000 and 880. Do you think I am as spoilt as you? I will never give 120 silvers in tips! You are so naive!"
"..."
It was early in the morning. Since they were already in Huai An County, Fang Zhengzhi was in no rush to get back home. During this tour, he had taken care of everything, from cooking to washing.
Now that they were in Huai An County, he wanted to find a nice restaurant to enjoy a meal in.
"I'll make it clear. Now that we are in Huai An County, our previous deal has reached its expiry. We will split the bill inside the restaurant!" Fang Zhengzhi told Chi Guyan.
"Didn't you just say that I was spoilt? Why are you helping me save now?" Chi Guyan looked at Fang Zhengzhi comically.
"They are separate matters. You requested to follow me and I provided you with food. It is only right that you pay me. Now that our deal has run its course, how can I as a man allow a lady to treat me?" Fang Zhengzhi replied derisively. He loved money, but he was not going to be given a treat by a lady.
"Man? Then why don't you treat me?"
"Aren't... you a man too?" Fang Zhengzhi looked at Chi Guyan's dressing and smiled, "If you're willing to change into a dress, I might consider!"
"Shameless!"
Fang Zhengzhi's pockets were quite full at this point. There were few in Huai An County who were richer than him. He had gotten almost 70,000 silvers from the sale of Ping Yang's horse, and Ping Yang had sent him even more afterwards.
On top of the thousand gold reward from the Emperor...
He had quite a fortune.
As such, he picked the best possible restaurant. This was the same restaurant he had met Yan Xiu in.
It was just as old and exquisite as before, but, there were many soldiers inside now.
Fang Zhengzhi had not paid much attention to the soldiers he had seen along the way. However, seeing so many in the restaurant made him have his doubts.
"Is Huai An County in trouble?"